CLAIMS that the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) is a burnt and degraded forest are untrue, as local communities and the Selangor Forestry Department have been rehabilitating it over the years, a coalition of civil society organisations said.

The Pertahankan Hutan Simpan Kuala Langat Utara (PHSKLU) coalition of 15 groups said the Selangor government must stop making false claims to justify its degazettement of 536.7ha of the forest for mixed development purposes.

Among the claims made is that the forest is degraded due to fires and without any tall trees left, “too small” for conservation, and that it faces development pressure from surrounding areas.

PHSKLU said these claims are refutable based on testimonies of the Orang Asli living around the area and the work done to rehabilitate it, adding that there have been no significant fires since 2016 after a tree planting programme was carried out.

“In 2016, 10,000 trees were planted as part of a collaboration between the local Orang Asli community, the forestry department and adjacent landowners including, Boh Plantation Estate and Gamuda Cove.

“Actions were also taken to prevent fires by blocking drains and raising water levels and conducting daily fire prevention patrols around the perimeter of the forest.

“As a result, there have been only two relatively small fires in the past five years and neither were in the area proposed for degazettement. More than 300ha of the forest area impacted by fire have recovered well, with the regrowth of medium to tall forest or planting of trees by the Orang Asli community,” said PHSKLU.

The degazetted area is about half the entire forested area that covers over 900ha.

The degazettement was done in May but not revealed to the public until the state legislative assembly sitting on August 12, drawing uproar from environmental protection groups as well as Selangor assemblymen over the secrecy.

Furthermore, the assembly had unanimously voted last November not to proceed with the degazettement.

PHSKLU said 98% of the degazetted area now has forest cover, which comprises an almost equal proportion of high quality, tall- and medium-height forest trees.

“It comprises a mix of lowland dipterocarp and peat swamp forests. The peat swamp forest is surrounded on three sides by low hills, which channel water to maintain water levels in the forest and prevent drainage.

“The forest, although originally larger, has been the same size for the past 30 years and there is no indication that there has been any reduction in plant and animal species.”

PHSKLU also cited a 2020 study by the Selangor government that confirmed the KLNFR as a High Conservation Value (HCV) area with up to 123 flora and 124 fauna species.

Some of these are critically endangered plant and animal species,

The coalition, which includes Orang Asli activists and environmental groups, said the Orang Asli continue to harvest forest products from the KLNFR.

It denied the state government’s claim that the indigenous people supported the degazettement.

About 4.2ha of the area, although a small portion, have also been cultivated by the Orang Asli.

“The community has a very close connection to the forest, relying on food and medicinal plants from the forest and undertaking many community-based and cultural activities in the area.  Some community members have established small dusun inside the forest, all of which will also be lost with the degazettement.

“There has been zero meaningful consultation with the affected Orang Asli community members in relation to the degazettement of the forest,” said PHSKLU.

It urged the state government to revoke the degazettement and to protect KLNFR, stressing that its value was in acting as a carbon sink for climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation and for sustaining Orang Asli livelihoods.

“Degazetting this site will also be a waste of public funds as approximately RM2.2 million has been spent to build fire prevention infrastructure in the forest reserve,” PHSKLU added.

The degazettement is now suspended while the state reviews it, following public pressure and also censure by PKR on Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari. – September 7, 2021.